This invention relates to epoxide formulations comprising polyfunctional epoxides which are modified with selected carboxy terminated polymers to give a composition with improved toughness and flexibility.
Epoxy resins have gained wide acceptance for their use in adhesives and in other applications because of the variety of properties they possess including good mechanical and thermal properties, outstanding adhesion to various substrates, high chemical and corrosion resistance, low shrinkage upon cure, flexibility, good electrical properties and the ability to be processed under varied conditions. The many properties possessed by epoxies, as well as the ability to change or modify these properties through formulation additives, make them very versatile and especially useful in a number of adhesive applications.
Many different epoxy resins are known in the art, as well as formulations containing these materials for diverse applications. Typical epoxy resins and formulations are disclosed in "Handbook of Thermoset Plastics", edited by Sidney H. Goodman, Noyes Publications, pp. 132-182, 1986; "Adhesives Technology Handbook", Arthur H. Landrock, Noyes Publications, pp 144-153, 1985; and in Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, Vol. 6, pp. 322-382, 1986.
While the known epoxy resins and the different formulations for such resins have provided great versatility in their application, the need exists for an epoxy adhesive which will provide better toughness and flexibility properties.